Fernando Alonso is relishing the prospect of a fresh challenge set by the resurfaced Sepang International Circuit as he looks to hold on to r♏ecent momentum from improving ♉results.

The McLaren-Honda driver, a three-time Malaysian Grand Prix winner, will take on an 'all-new feel' of the Sepang track after it was re🌸surfaced earlier this year, with a number of corners being altered as part of circuit improvements.

READ: Sepang resurfacing 'like com🔴ing to circuit for the fꦆirst time'

The F1 drivers and teams have been briefed on the changes but won't be able to get a full understanding of the track updat꧋es until Friday morning ♍in FP1. Heading back to a circuit which holds fond memories for Alonso he is interested to see how his McLaren MP4-31 performs.

"I'm looking forward to heading back to Malaysia after 18 months since the last race there," Alonso said. "It'll 🧸be interesting to see how the cars cope on the newly-resurfaced track, and I imagine the weather conditions will be different from our last visit.

"Still, we expect it to be a tough race in the h💜eat and humidity, but there's a good combination of slow and high-speed corners and fast straights, so it has a little bit of everythi🥀ng."

With three seventh place finishes in the past five races Alonso has risen to 11th in the drivers' championship and despite ﷽McLaren's widely-reported performance defici﷽t the Spaniard is just five points off of Williams' Felipe Massa.